The Ultimate Atonement
by sydman24
Summary: Written as an english assignment. What happened to Abigail and Mercy after they fled Salem in the middle of the night.


The sky was black, it was almost suffocating, plagued by a silence that was almost deafening to the human ear. The ground was now mud almost the consistency of quicksand, due to the long rain storms that had infested the Boston area for a fortnight, and the old trees that covered the countryside had done little to stop the torrential downpour. Several deer walked toward a clearing in the woods where the glow of a small fire, attempting to light up the night, was being smothered by wet sticks and bark.

One of the young fawns slowly crept closer to the edge of the trees. As it moved forward it trampled through a large pile of branches, snapping them under its weight. The sound of bark breaking cut through the silence of the night, and while it didn't bother the fawn something moved within the clearing, causing the deer to scamper off to its mother.

"Abby, something's moving out there." The figure said, sitting up and shuffling closer to the fire as if the dim light and heat would protect her.

"It's only a deer, Mercy. Go back to sleep." The reply came from what seemed to be a large pile of leaves with dark brown almost jet black eyes. Upon further inspection though one would realize it was a girl. She had shoulder length dark brown hair; it was unruly and infested with twigs and leaves. Her face was caked with mud and grime and the clothes she wore were no better off than the body it clothed, torn almost to shreds by the branches and thorns populating the forest. Her name was Abigail Williams, and she was seventeen. But right now she felt as if she had seen twice that many years. And her eyes claimed that she knew the ways of the world and had seen horrors beyond your wildest imagination. She was once a proud member of Salem Village, the niece of the Reverend, now a run away. Her companion was Mercy Lewis. She too was seventeen and was, in a sense, wanted for murder. Both girls were on the run from the same fate. The people in Salem wanted them dead or at least hung for the problems they had caused. They were being followed, it seemed, and had been for a month now. A twig snapped again only this time it was closer.

"Abby, that wasn't a deer." Mercy said curling up in a ball in an attempt to hide within herself.

"Mercy, we need to clear the forest by night fall tomorrow or we can't hope to reach Boston by winter, and we won't be able to do that if you are half asleep. So go to bed!" Abby said growling out the last word.

"Abby." Mercy whimpered as the sound of leaves being trampled reached her ears.

"Mercy for the last time it's just a…" but at that second all hopes of the noise coming from a deer walking around were dashed as four large, black wolves meandered their way into the light of the fire.

"No, no!" Mercy said, scrambling back from the wolves.

"Just stay calm Mercy, they can't hurt us."

"But they're wolves, Abby."

"Just stay calm! Mercy, they're just an illusion. No, Mercy, don't!" But it was too late because said girl had already run off. Abby watched horror struck as two of the wolves ran off after her. The other two advanced closer as the barrier, created by a protection spell that she and Mercy had cast earlier, slowly collapsed due to Mercy's absence. Abby stood and carefully backed to the other side of the barrier, watching the wolves as the fire that now separated them burnt out. The flame flickered one last time and then went out. As the clearing was blanketed in darkness a howl went out from one of the wolves in the clearing with Abby. The hunt was on.

Abby raced from the clearing when the fire vanished. The howl that echoed throughout the forest was far behind her but now she feared the two wolves that were ahead of her because they had followed Mercy. Regardless she had to keep going. The sound of leaves being trampled alerted her to the presence of the wolves behind her. She could feel their jaws attempting to snap shut on her ankles and their breath, coming in hot pants on the backs of her legs. She turned her head to see how far behind they were. As she did so though she lost sight of what was in front of her and she tripped over an above ground tree root. She turned in mid air attempting to lessen the pain from her fall and found that she had landed on a squishy object that grunted when she fell.

"Mercy?" she hissed quietly, trying to ascertain who it was she had fallen on. A quiet moan confirmed her suspicions. Quickly she got to her feet and pulled her friend along behind her, and in seconds was running off again. Her fall had caused Abby to lose her sense of direction and now she was clueless of what direction Boston was. Blindly she ran into the night, only worried about escaping the wolves. Abby had reached another clearing before she stopped. She looked up at the sky for any help but it seemed that even the stars were against her tonight. Mercy tried to pull her along out of the clearing.

"Abby, their coming!" Mercy whined as she tried to pull her immobile friend along.

"Wait!" Abby hissed holding up a finger to symbolize that it would only take a second. And just as she said that the clouds covering the moon seemed to move as if by her command. And in front of them loomed a massive hill. Following a path carved out through the branches of the trees by the light both girls ran. And just as they reached the peak of the hill the dawn came and the sun rose, and with it the wolves vanished. Both girls stood, basking in the warm rays of the sun, looking out over the meadow land that stretched before them.

* * *

"Abby, I'm hungry." Mercy said as she stumbled along behind her friend. The girl in front of her didn't say anything. "Abby, why are we going to Boston anyway?"

Abby sighed. "Because we're going to Barbados. We need to go to Boston to get on a ship." Mercy stopped walking and Abby turned to her friend. "What?"

"But, but we can't go there. T-Tituba was from Barbados."

"So?"

"So, she probably cursed us. What, what if the wolves last night were from her?"

"Mercy, she's gone, deported. Just don't think about it. Think about the nice hot meal and warm bed that await you in Boston." Abby said turning to continue across the field. Mercy ran to catch up after her.

* * *

At night fall they stopped and attempted to create a fire from some of the grass and small twigs that were lying around. It was one thing the plains lacked that the forest had plenty of, and that was kindling. The moon was high in the sky before the fire was lit and both girls sat close to it in attempt to block in as much heat as possible. And by midnight both girls were asleep, but the sound of foot steps approaching woke both of them.

"Abby?" Mercy asked, trying not to move.

"I know, I hear it too."

"You don't think it's…" the sound of growling and panting infested the silence. It was the wolves, or at least one of them. Both girls jolted to their feet and sprinted off again. It was only one wolf but it was fast. Abby, who had been farther away from the wolf, was ahead of Mercy. But her scream caused Abby to stop and turn. The wolf had caught Mercy and had pinned her to the ground. Abby watched in horror as it tore her friend's throat out as she screamed for her friends help. Abby found it hard to breathe as the wolf swallowed its winnings. It looked up at her, its yellow eyes flashed blood red and in Proctor's voice said. "You're next."

Abby ran. She was crying, her tears streaming down her face. She was scared and afraid that she was going insane. The wolf had just talked. Had to have been Tituba who sent the wolves, how long had the wolves been following them? And why did this one have John's voice? Regardless, she ran for what seemed like eternity before she passed out from exhaustion.

* * *

Abby woke in a strange room, in a strange bed. She started panicking. She had to get out of here. She jumped out of bed and raced to the window. Maybe if she was on the first floor she could escape that way. No luck though the room was on the second floor. But looking out Abby realized where she was. Boston, the smell of fish and salt plagued the air as she breathed in. She turned from the window as footsteps neared the room.

Thinking quickly Abby raced to the bed and pulled the sheets off. Tying them together she made them into a rope. After looping the one end around one of the bed posts she threw the other end out the window. Climbing up on the sill she tightly clutched the sheets and pulled, her knot held. Clasping the sheets tightly she leaned out the window and placed her feet flat against the side of the house, she began to climb down.

The task took almost no time and she prided herself on the multiple occasions she had, had to do this to get out of her and her uncle's house. Once her bare feet touched the ground she ran down the muddy street. As she rounded the corner she found herself in the middle of a fish market. She wandered between kiosks on her way to the wharf. She gazed in amazement at the large ships that were before her. Abby had never seen a ship this close before and she wished Mercy was there to see them with her.

The cold ocean air whipped past her, pulling her hair into her face. Shivering she wrapped her arms tightly around herself in attempt to keep warm.

"Come on everyone boarding the boat to Barbados get on." A man's voice echoed over the sound of the crashing waves and screaming voices. Abby began making her way over to the man when someone bumped into her. Once she had regained her balance she looked up and saw a little girl standing next to the closest kiosk. She wore an old ratty dress, covered in mud and grime. Her face was dirty; she had shoulder length blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Her arms were wrapped around a little boy who looked similar to her. Ignoring the eerie feeling that washed over her upon seeing the girl, Abby continued on her way. She approached the man who was yelling. He looked to be the Captain of the ship. His blue coat was clean and well decorated.

"How much are tickets?" Abby asked the man. He looked at her before laughing. Abby blushed then glared at the man. How dare he laugh at her! She began to chant curses under her breath to have the man tortured in his sleep when he spoke up.

"Tickets are twenty pounds little girl. I doubt you have that kind of money, now run along and go bother the other street rats." He said shoeing her off as if she were a pet dog.

Abby glared at the man. "As a matter of fact I…" she glanced down at the belt she had tied the small draw-string purse with the forty-two pounds to. It was gone.

"Be gone with you." The Captain said, pushing Abby away from him. She stumbled back still in shock that the money was gone. Where had she dropped it? She thought back and remembered the children. In the little boys hands had been a coin purse similar to her own. They had stolen her money.

Abby began fighting her way through the crowd. She had to find those kids. She searched for hours but the children had vanished. Now very cold, hungry, and lost Abby stumbled through the dark empty streets. She turned into an alley way and leaned against the wall. Her eyes started drooping and her legs gave out beneath her. Sleep took over as she gave into exhaustion.

Something breathing on her face caused Abby to stir. Her mind started racing, the wolves were back. Back to kill her like they'd killed Mercy. Abby slowly opened her eyes and looked up. A man stood before her and Abby pushed into the wall in an attempt to get way. He edged towards her but she pushed her way past him and ran down the alley. She reached the street and ran to the right. She slid to a stop as she approached the center of town. She had gone the wrong way.

The sound of something squishing through the mud caused Abby's mind to freeze. She turned expecting to see a member of the police on a horse nearing her. Instead three wolves neared her location.

"What type of apparition is this? What devil commands you?" Abby asked, her voice shaking in fear.

"We are commanded by no one Abigail Williams." The first wolf said. It was grey in color and looked older than the other two. It spoke with the voice of Giles Corey.

"We are here to repay you the kindness you paid us." The second wolf, this one white, said. Rebecca Nurse's voice was emitted.

"You are dead. All of you are dead." Abby said backing up again. The last wolf, this one with jet black fur and the youngest of the group, stepped forward.

"You will come with us Abby. Just like Mercy did." John Proctor's voice filled the air.

"No, no you will not take me to hell!" Abby yelled as she ran down the street. The sound of the wolves' paws on the muddy ground filled her ears.

"You will come, Abby, for you are already in hell." Proctor's wolf taunted. Abby screamed and ran faster. She had to get away. A bright light filled the air, casting shadows in front of Abby as she ran. But the sound of the wolves vanished. Abigail turned and stared into the sun. The wolves were gone.

"They vanish with the sun." Abby said as she smiled. She now knew the wolves' secret. By noon the next day she had collected enough money to buy a ticket to Barbados, but as she neared the docks she stopped. The grey wolf stood on the edge of the wharf staring at her, waiting for her to come close enough. No one else noticed the wolf. It was almost like it wasn't there. Every day she attempted to board the ship and everyday the grey wolf blocked her path.

Every night Abby was hidden inside while the wolves patrolled, and for four years she hid like that her life in a constant cycle. It was during the summer of her fourth year that Abby slipped up. She was not inside by night fall and the wolves were waiting for her. It was Proctor that killed her while Rebecca and Giles trapped her.

Her body was found the next morning. Bloated and covered in grime, as if she had not eaten for days. The cause of death was marked up as starvation as no sign of struggle could be found. She was buried on the outskirts of town in an unmarked grave, for no one could identify her.

Abigail Williams died of natural causes on May 28 in 1697. But the witches in Salem see it differently. For when Abigail and the other girls began the Salem witch trials a curse was placed on all of them. This curse condemned them to be hunted by the very spirits that they had condemned to death if they ever left Salem, unless they had atoned for their sins. Out of all the girls in Salem the only one that was freed from this curse was Ruth Putman. The rest faced eternal damnation, the ultimate atonement.


End file.
